


Regulars

by orphan_account



Series: The College Experience [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, abuse tw, jeans a librarian, marco has an abusive father, theres no butt stuff but theres dicks okay, this is super angsty but what did you expect im physically incapable of writing happy jeanmarco
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-05
Updated: 2014-03-05
Packaged: 2018-01-14 14:58:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1270705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jean works at the local library, and Marco needs a place to escape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regulars

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that this is what I'm coming back with, I really am
> 
> (ps this wasnt beta'd because i havent actually found anyone willing to beta my work BUT if youre interested just send me a message here or [on my tumblr](http://www.kirschteinvevo.tumblr.com))

A stack of books thumped down on the table in front of Jean, startling the boy and making him glance up from the line he was reading. He couldn't see who was behind the tower, but a voice drifted to his ears from around the books.

"This, uh...this isn't over the checkout limit, is it?" Jean glanced over the books, counting them. Twelve in all.

"No, no," he said, "but you do know you only have three weeks for them, right?"

The owner of the voice stepped out from behind the books, flashing Jean a brilliant smile. "I know."

Jean looked at the man on the other side of the counter, taking him in. He couldn't have been older than eighteen, maybe nineteen if Jean really wanted to be generous. His eyes were warm and his face was friendly, but what really caught Jean's eye was the freckles.

He was struck with the sudden urge to count them.

He shook the thought away and smiled back, grabbing the first book and running it under the scanner. He finished the task silently, occasionally glancing up at the freckled boy. When he was done, he took the library card that was sitting on the counter and scanned it.

"There you go, uh..." he glanced at the name that showed up on the screen. "Marco."

Marco just smiled warmly once more and took the books, not leaving the library like Jean would have expected, like most people did. Instead, he went into the small reading room across the entryway and placed his books on one of the dusty tables before closing the door behind him. Jean just chuckled and went back to reading.

 

It was ten when Jean finally shut off the lights in the empty old library and grabbed his bag from underneath the counter. The building was silent, and Jean nearly thought it was empty until he heard the thump of a book from the reading room.

He pulled open the door, biting back a smile at the sight of Marco asleep on one of the books, another one at his feet where he assumed it had fallen from the table. His small tower of books was still there at his side, albeit a little shorter. He reached out and gently shook Marco's shoulder.

Marco groaned and stirred slowly at Jean's touch, blinking his eyes open groggily and rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand. "What time is it?"

"Just past ten. Come on sunshine, I'm closing up the library." Marco hummed and stood up, stumbling a little before righting himself and nudging a bookmark into the space his head had been. He bent down and picked up the stack of books, placing the ones that had been scattered neatly back on top.

"Am I the last one?"

"Sure are," Jean replied, taking half of the books off the stack and matching Marco's pace despite his protests.

"You don't have to help, " he said, trying to take the books back from Jean. "I can manage."

"It's fine, I want to," Jean countered. "Besides, you're still half asleep. Can you even drive like this?"

Marco fidgeted a little, looking down at the pavement. "I, uh...don't drive. Can't."

"Then come on," Jean said, determined to show Marco some kindness for reasons he couldn't explain. "I'll give you a ride home."

"N-no! I couldn't let you!" Panic was evident on his face, but Jean couldn't tell why. He assumed the obvious reason, and laughed.

"Come on Princess, I don't bite."

"It's not that, it's-"

"Nope, I'm driving you home. Besides, the bus doesn't even run this late." 

Marco finally relented, following Jean towards the parking lot. Jean wasn't sure why he was being so nice, usually he'd just leave the boy to walk home. Something about Marco made him want to protect the other, though for the life of him he couldn't guess why. Maybe it was the freckles.

Marco bundled himself in the front seat of Jean's pickup, eager to get out of the biting cold outside. He set his books in the backseat, and Jean tossed his load and bag in after them. He hummed contentedly at the purr of the engine as the car started to pull out of the empty parking lot.

"Where do you live?"

Marco hesitated before responding, "Corner of 10th and Railroad."

Jean mentally mapped the route, and suddenly he understood all too well why Marco didn't want to accept his offer of a ride home. He lived in the heart of the worst part of town, where security was low and crime rates were high. Jean had never lived anywhere but the posh neighborhood he had grown up in, never moved further in than the outskirts of town, never known what it was like to live in the middle of the most dangerous area of town. He knew that if he did, though, he wouldn't be so quick to accept rides from strangers either.

They drove in silence, Jean not wanting to disrupt Marco by turning on the radio. Marco looked grateful, but his brow was furrowed and his lips were set in a tense frown. Jean wondered why, but he didn't dare ask.

Marco climbed out of his car hurriedly when they reached the house, a dilapidated little mobile home with peeling paint and broken porch railing. He mumbled a quick thank you as he gathered his books from the backseat, all but running to the door when he was done. Jean waited until he was inside, a lone light flicking on upstairs, before putting the car back into drive and heading home.

**Author's Note:**

> i live for reviews


End file.
